On Tuesday, the board agreed that, instead of going through the purchasing process again, the district should just add the remaining $2.5 million to the existing deal so the district can continue to take advantage of Dell's favorable prices.

The goal is to get students ready for new state-mandated exams.

Scott Hansen, the district's director of technology information systems, told the School Board last week at a work session, and again at Tuesday's meeting, that the money has already been budgeted and approved.

He asked to increase the original bid amount from $2.5 million to $5 million to take advantage of a special deal by Dell that would save nearly $44 per computer.

The original $2.5 million, which is currently being used, was approved as part of the 2009-10 budget.

The school board approved Hansen's request to add $2.5 million budgeted for the 2010-11 upgrades.

"We are not asking for more money," Hansen said.

The state Legislature passed an education bill that requires high school students to pass year-end exams in certain subjects.

The first exam to be added is Algebra I, which will be administered in spring 2011.

More exams will be added in the next few school years.

These tests eventually will take the place of the FCAT.

Students taking the exam will have to pass the 160-minute test, which will count as 30 percent of their final grade.

They must pass the test to graduate.

The second part of the equation is that the test will be Web-based and taken on computers.

The state gave all districts minimum computer requirements.

Hansen held a test run on existing computers, which only met minimum requirements, at West Port High.

Of the 420 students tested, 50 percent had trouble testing because of the older computers.

Hansen said many of the district's computers at middle and high schools are older than five years and can not handle the Web-based exams.

The school board said every child should be on a level playing field and that the purchase was necessary in order for the district to maintain its technology edge.

School board member Jackie Porter voted against the technology plan because she believes Hansen will ask for $2.5 million more in funding later this year.

Theresa Boston-Ellis, the executive director of business services, assured Porter that the additional $2.5 million is part of the technology department's $10 million budget.

Porter explained her "no" vote during her comments at the end of the school board meeting.

"I'm not opposed to the children getting the technology they need," she said, adding she is not convinced the added $2.5 million is really in the technology budget.

Her concern, she said after the meeting, came about after an incident involving financing of Howard Middle School's renovation.

She said the School District requested $2.3 million more toward the project and officials assured her that the amount was part of the $13 million price tag.

Then, on paper at least, the final cost of the Howard renovation came in at more than $15 million.

She said staff misled her and doesn't want that to happen again.

Robert Knight, the district's facilities supervisor, said that there has been some miscommunication with Porter on the Howard project.

He said that when they first started Howard that he realized that $11 million would not cover all of the cost.

He asked that $2 million more be added to the project.

That amount was approved, making the total cost $13.1 million.

Not aware that his request had been accomplished, he asked finance again for the money.

He said it was added a second time, increasing the amount to more than $15 million.

The total cost ended up at $13 million and the balance was to be returned to the capital fund, Knight said Wednesday.

<p>Dell has offered the Marion County School Board a deal they just can't get enough of.</p><p>The school district's technology department already had permission to spend $5 million on technology upgrades for student computers.</p><p>It's already spending $2.5 million on Dell computers and related technology.</p><p>On Tuesday, the board agreed that, instead of going through the purchasing process again, the district should just add the remaining $2.5 million to the existing deal so the district can continue to take advantage of Dell's favorable prices.</p><p>The goal is to get students ready for new state-mandated exams.</p><p>Scott Hansen, the district's director of technology information systems, told the School Board last week at a work session, and again at Tuesday's meeting, that the money has already been budgeted and approved.</p><p>He asked to increase the original bid amount from $2.5 million to $5 million to take advantage of a special deal by Dell that would save nearly $44 per computer.</p><p>The original $2.5 million, which is currently being used, was approved as part of the 2009-10 budget.</p><p>The school board approved Hansen's request to add $2.5 million budgeted for the 2010-11 upgrades.</p><p>"We are not asking for more money," Hansen said.</p><p>The state Legislature passed an education bill that requires high school students to pass year-end exams in certain subjects.</p><p>The first exam to be added is Algebra I, which will be administered in spring 2011.</p><p>More exams will be added in the next few school years.</p><p>These tests eventually will take the place of the FCAT.</p><p>Students taking the exam will have to pass the 160-minute test, which will count as 30 percent of their final grade.</p><p>They must pass the test to graduate.</p><p>The second part of the equation is that the test will be Web-based and taken on computers.</p><p>The state gave all districts minimum computer requirements.</p><p>Hansen held a test run on existing computers, which only met minimum requirements, at West Port High.</p><p>Of the 420 students tested, 50 percent had trouble testing because of the older computers.</p><p>Hansen said many of the district's computers at middle and high schools are older than five years and can not handle the Web-based exams.</p><p>The school board said every child should be on a level playing field and that the purchase was necessary in order for the district to maintain its technology edge.</p><p>School board member Jackie Porter voted against the technology plan because she believes Hansen will ask for $2.5 million more in funding later this year.</p><p>Theresa Boston-Ellis, the executive director of business services, assured Porter that the additional $2.5 million is part of the technology department's $10 million budget.</p><p>Porter explained her "no" vote during her comments at the end of the school board meeting.</p><p>"I'm not opposed to the children getting the technology they need," she said, adding she is not convinced the added $2.5 million is really in the technology budget.</p><p>Her concern, she said after the meeting, came about after an incident involving financing of Howard Middle School's renovation.</p><p>She said the School District requested $2.3 million more toward the project and officials assured her that the amount was part of the $13 million price tag.</p><p>Then, on paper at least, the final cost of the Howard renovation came in at more than $15 million.</p><p>She said staff misled her and doesn't want that to happen again.</p><p>Robert Knight, the district's facilities supervisor, said that there has been some miscommunication with Porter on the Howard project.</p><p>He said that when they first started Howard that he realized that $11 million would not cover all of the cost.</p><p>He asked that $2 million more be added to the project.</p><p>That amount was approved, making the total cost $13.1 million.</p><p>Not aware that his request had been accomplished, he asked finance again for the money.</p><p>He said it was added a second time, increasing the amount to more than $15 million.</p><p>The total cost ended up at $13 million and the balance was to be returned to the capital fund, Knight said Wednesday.</p>